GRAND RAPIDS -- Staying on top of what’s cool in the world of sports can be exhausting.

One day soccer is the next big thing, the next it’s lacrosse and then it’s mixed martial arts.

Then you attend a baseball game and can’t comprehend why all the kids think it looks good to keep the bill completely flat on a cap that’s already two sizes too big.

Face it, there’s no way to predict with 100 percent accuracy what will be the next hot trend. The times are eternally a-changin’.

Who knows, the next big sport even could be something like log rolling.

That’s right, log rolling. Why not? A class on the lumberjack-endorsed sport is among the many programs being offered by the Grand Rapids YMCA this summer.

“It’s one of those things you might see on TV, but here’s an opportunity to try it,” YMCA senior program director Dave Leggett said. “We encourage people to try different things.”

And that, right there, is truly the essence of what makes Grand Rapids, and all of West Michigan, “cool.” The chance to actually do something.

So maybe log rolling isn’t your thing. The local YMCA and the city’s recreation department have a catalogue of other options.

Or maybe you’d be more inclined to try indoor rock climbing, like they offer at Inside Moves. Or maybe you’d prefer one of the 26 public golf courses in Kent County, with a dozen more along the Lakeshore.

Still haven’t found the right task to get your blood pumping? There is a veritable A to Z list of activities available, from archery, bowling and canoeing, to disc golf, equestrian and flag football.

You could even craft a bad poem around everything: Skiing and hiking, running and biking; basketball, gymnastics and darts, rugby, fencing and martial arts.

Or you can simply find out what the heck pickleball is.

All of these options — and many, many more — are readily attainable throughout West Michigan. And they’re available for all ages, all abilities and all comers.

The opportunities are practically endless, and most require only a short drive.

And apart from the games themselves, there are a plethora of opportunities available to volunteer, and not just as the stereotypical soccer moms who provide orange slices and juice boxes.

Scores of coaches, officials, scorekeepers and more are needed to keep things moving in leagues that range from youth to adult.

“Volunteers are absolutely vital to what we do,” said Holland recreation and special events coordinator Adrienne Wallace. “From a community aspect, we’re the biggest consumer of volunteers, with coaches, officials and parents.”

But it’s also like going to a trendy nightclub. You pay for parking, you pay to get in, you’re heavily influenced what to wear, you pay for mediocre food, you’re surrounded by people you don’t like and at the end of the night you wonder what all that money really bought you.

It’s also hard to know how many people attend pro events for the love of whatever sport it is they’ll observe. Sure, there will be plenty of diehards, but just as many will be there to enjoy the atmosphere, the weather, the company of family and friends, or the chance to ease their boredom for a couple of hours.

And those are all perfectly valid reasons.

But pro sports don’t stimulate arms and legs, outside of an occasional flurry of cheers or boos. And even the best seats in the house keep you detached from the action.

“Our big goal is to keep people moving,” said John Judnich, recreation supervisor for the Grand Rapids Department of Parks and Recreation. “We encourage people to venture outside rather than just watch.”

And that’s the point.

As nice as it is to watch professional athletes, there’s no ball for you to catch, no bat to swing, no goal to be made.

But getting into a game yourself? Now that always should be considered cool.